Centrifugal separator.



No. 004,709. PATBNTED NOV. 14, 1005. J. B. BARTHOLOMEW.

CENTRIFUGAL SBPARATOR.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 5. 1900.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WTnesse/s I I lm/enor m4004m% (7% @www UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN B. BARTHOLOMEW, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO AVERY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS, A CORPORA- TION OF ILLINOIS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 14, 1905.

Application filed September 5, 1900, Serial No. 29,066.

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, JOHN B. BARTHOLOMEW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State of Illi` nois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Centrifugal Separators, of

which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is alongitudinal sectional View of a centrifugal separator or threshing-machine embodying my invention. Fig.'2 is a transverse sectional view on line I I, Fig. l.

I have illustrated the invention in portable form, comprisinga frame A, casing B, front and rear supporting ground-wheels C C and combined with a self-feeder D, threshing-cylinder E, and a wind-stacker, the delivery portion F of which is or may be of the usual or any preferred construction.

As illustrated, the machine also comprises a winnowing-fan G, shoe H, and stacker-fan I, these latter parts being individually of any suitable construction, but being combined in the centrifugal separator in new relations.

The principal objects of the invention are to obtain a compact arrangement of the essential parts and mechanisms of a threshingmachine, reducing the latter to about half the length of an ordinary separator of the same capacity; to reduce the number of working parts to a minimum; to obtain a more perfect separation of the grain from the straw, and to more perfectly clean the grain, the grain being forcibly thrown, as hereinafter described, into the air-blast, which permits of a stronger blast being used than when the grain simply drops into the blast by gravity.

A further feature of the invention consists in the means for putting in and changing the sieve or sieves of the shoe.

The invention further consists in the parts and combinations thereof, hereinafter more particularly set forth.

Combined with the threshing-cylinder Eis a centrifugal device K, consisting of a rotary drum l, mounted on and actuated by a shaft 2. Said drum is preferably of relatively light construction, having a 'metallic shell 3, supported on spiders 4 from the said shaft and carrying a series of teeth or spikes 5, projecting through the shell and supported by transverse bars 6 within the latter. The centrifugal device is adapted to be driven at a materially greater surface speed than the threshing-cylinder E, preferably at such speed that it will take away the threshed straw and the grain from the cylinder about one-third faster than the cylinder delivers it. As the material delivered by the threshing-cylinder is thus engaged by the teeth 5 and by the accompanying air-currents and Acarried away at this relatively high speed it is spread out into a relatively thin sheet, giving the fullest opportunity for the separation of the particles or portions of different gravities and size. The said sheet of threshed material tends constantly by centrifugal force to move tangentially away from the drum l; but it is confined and compelled to move in a more or less circular path around the drum by a casing 7, having heads 8, which latter are or may be continuations of the casing B. While the smaller portions of said material and those that are the heavier, such as the grain and chaff, are allowed to impinge on and follow the surface of the casing 7, the larger portions, such as the straw, are held from or are deflected inward from said casing, thereby effecting a separation of the sheet of material into two or more layers. Both of said layers, however, travel in the same direction, minimizing the resistance to the movement of the material and operation of the centrifugal device and allowing the desired high speed to be easily maintained. The straw is thus held or deflected against the centrifugal action of the device K by suitable mechanical devices, such as one or more series of rake-like or comb-like teeth 9 10 l1, fixed by fastening or clamping devices 12 on the interior surface of the concave-casing 7 or otherwise supported within said casing between the same and the centrifugal device. Proceeding in the direction of the movement of the material, the chamber or space between the rotating drum l and the casing which surrounds it gradually expands, and the teeth of the successive series 9, 10, and 11 are preferably made longer, Fig. 1, thus gradually increasing the degree of separation of the inner and outer layers of material preparatory to their final delivery to the stacker and shoe, respectively.

The shoe H is situated below the centrifugal device above described and at the receiving side of the latter is somewhat overlapped ICO by a straw guiding and defiectingmeans or plate 13, over which the threshed straw is carried as it leaves the concave 14 of the threshing-cylinder, the extreme end of' said plate 13 extending to the path of the outer ends of the teeth 5 and being somewhat curved, as indicated at 15, toward the direction of movement of said teeth to carry the straw and grain into engagement with said teeth and deliver it more or less tangentially to their path. At the delivery side of the centrifugal device the grain and other separated fine material are directed to the shoe by a transverse partition 16, practically continuous with the casing 7 and extending down substantially to the top of the shoe at the rear end of the chaffer 17a. The latter is carried in the shoe in the usual manner aud arrests the principal part of the fine material separated from the straw and accompanying the grain, where it is removed by the blast from the fan G and carried away. In the construction illustrated the fine light material separated from the grain in the shoe is carried off, with the straw, by the stacking appliances hereinafter described. Whilethc grain and chaff by centrifugal force and gravity follow down the inner side of the partition 16 to the sh'oe the straw is still further separated from such material, deflected from said partition, and kept in engagement with the teeth 5 by means of a deflecting device consisting, preferably, of a comb or rake like series of teeth 17, attached at 18 to the frame or casing and extending at their free orforward ends close to the path of the teeth 5 and well under the centrifugal device K. This last deflecting means insures the delivery of the straw by the said centrifugal device tangentiall y at a time when such tangent extends forwardly of the machine toward and under the threshing mechanism,carryingsuch straw, assisted at this timey by the blast from the fan G, over the forward end of' the shoe. At this point the straw is confined and directed to the stacker-fan I by a casing, conduit, or chute 19, suitably attached to the main casing B, and a transverse frame-bar 20. The fan I is preferably arranged at one side of the machine without the casing B and is connectedby a strawconduit 21 at the side of' the machine with the upwardly-extending portion or elbow of the wind-stacker device F. The deiiecting-teeth 9 1() 11 incline inward from the casing 7 in the direction of movement of the material and more or less tangential to the path of the teeth 5, and between the latter and said deiiectingteeth the straw is subjected to a separating and combing action, which thoroughly frees the grain and allows the latter to pass out to the casing 7 for delivery to the winnowing mechanism, as above described. Such separation is also greatly facilitated by the thinning out of the straw by the high surface speed of the drum 1 relative to the threshingcylinder. The drum isl so driven relative to solixse the cylinder by suitable power devices, such as a belt 22, passing around a pulley 23 on the shaft 24 of' the lcylinder and a pulley 25 on the shaft 2. rIhese pulleys have the necessary diameters relative to the diameters of the cylinder and drum to effect the result stated. The belt 22 is also carried downward and forward of the threshing-cylinder intermediate of the pulleys 23 and 25 and passed around a pulley 26 on the shaft 27 of the stacker-fan I for the driving of the latter.

The other operative parts mentioned are driven by suitable belts, as shown, or by other desired means.

It will be seen that the grain and chaff, which are separated from the straw by means of the centrifugal separating devices, which have been described, are forcibly thrown by the action of the rotating drum thereupon into the blast of the winnowing-fan instead of falling under the iniuence of the action of gravity alone. This permits me to use a relatively strong blast for the winnower. It will also be seenthat the straw separated from the grain and chaff is by the separating devices directed over the winnower and toward the front end of the machine and that such straw and the chaff from the winnower are both directed to the eye of the stacker-fan. By locating the parts as described-that is to say, the separator close to and above the threshing mechanism, the winnower directly below the separating devices, the intake for the pneumatic straw conveying and stacking devices at the forward end of' the machine and below the threshing mechanism, and the fan for the winnower at the rear of the machine- I am enabled to compactly dispose of the several parts necessary to effect a thorough threshing and separating' of the grain from the straw and chaff and to dispose of the chaff and straw through a single outlet and by means of a single delivery-fan.

It is very desirable to readily effect a change of the sieve of' the shoe to eect the necessary fineness of separation according to the size of the grain and other conditions. I have provided for such change being made through the sides of the shoe and casing B. Such sieve is shown at L, mounted in transverse guides 28, fixed to the side boards 29 of the shoe. In one of' such side boards is an opening 30 in line with the sieve L, and through this opening the sieve may be removed laterally of the machine and replaced by another (see dotted lines iu Fig. 2) without opening the casing B or disturbing the shoe.

rIhe shoe as a whole is longitudinally reciprocatedfrom a crank-shaft 31, driven by a pulley 32.

It will be observed that the path of the threshed material is not longitudinal of the machine away from the threshing-cylinder, but is to a considerable extent upward, downward, and forward toward the threshing-cyl- IOO lIO

inder. From this it results that the travel of the threshed material necessary for a complete separation of the grain from the straw is attained in a very short machine. This secures economy of space and material of construction, as well as convenience in operating the machine and in transporting it.

34 is a tailings-conveyer, from which the tailings may be taken by an elevator 35 and delivered through an opening 36 in the casing B above and onto the shoe.

When it is desirable for the tailings to be passed through the threshing mechanism,they Inay be delivered to the latter from the conveyer 34 by an elevator 37, leading to feedcasing 38.

Some of the objects of my invention may be attained should the separating and conveying devices be of a character and operate in such manner as not to develop a centrifugal action or force in the material which they opcrate upon, for a rotary straw conveying and separating device arranged to take the straw from the threshing mechanism and after permitting a separation of the grain and chaff therefrom delivering it toward the threshing mechanism, where the straw is taken by a pneumatic device to the stacker, would come within the scope of my invention.

In its details, except as to the position of the fan, the pneumatic stacking devices may be of the character shown in my Patents Nos. 633,559, 633,560, or 633,561.

What I claim isl 1. In a portable centrifugal separator the combination of a main frame and casing, ground-wheels for the same,a threshing mechanism at the forward end of said frame, a pneumatic stacker-conduit at the rear end of said frame, a centrifugal device between said threshing mechanism and stacker, acasing for said centrifugal device, a winnower beneath the latter, a stacker-fan at the forward end of said frame, a straw-conduit from said fan to the stacker, and means for directing the grain and straw respectively to said winnower and to the stacker-fan, substantially as set forth.

2. In a centrifugal separator the combination of a threshing-cylinder, a centrifugal drum adapted to receive the threshed material therefrom, a casing inclosing said drum, a winnower beneath the latter, a stacker-fan below and near said cylinder, a stacking mechanism connected with said fan, and means for directing thegrain and straw respectively to said winnower and to said fan.

3. In a centrifugal separator, the combination of a threshingcylinder, a centrifugal drum arranged to receive the threshed material from the threshing-cylinder, a concavecasing surrounding the centrifugal drum inclosing a gradually-expanding passage about the centrifugal drum, and inward-extending comb like devices gradually increasing in length with the expansion of the passage and arranged between the casing and the drum for holding the straw inward toward the drum, substantially as set forth.

4. In a centrifugal separator, the combination of a threshing-cylinder, a centrifugal device mounted above and parallel with said cylinder and having a series of teeth or projections, a straw-deflecting means 13 between said cylinder and centrifugal device, a casing inclosing the latter, means for deflecting the straw inward from said casing, a winnower beneath said centrifugal device, a defiector 16 for directing the outer portion of the threshed material to said winnower, means for directing the straw over said winnower toward the threshing-cylinder, and a fan for removing said straw.

5. In a threshing-machine, the combination of a threshing-cylinder, straw and grain separating devices having a space between them extending from said threshing-cylinder upward, rearward and downward, theinner member of said separating devices being rotary, a winnower below said separating devices having its chaff-delivery end directed forward toward said thresher mechanism, means for directing the straw from the separating devices over the winnower and forward toward the threshing mechanism, a fan at the end of said winnower remote from the threshing mechanism and means near said threshing mechanism for removing the straw and the chaff from the machine. substantially as set forth.

6. In a threshing-machine, the combination of a threshing-cylinder, a winnower having its chaff-delivery end directed toward said cylinder, rotary straw and grain separating means receiving the threshed material from said cylinder and delivering the same to said winnower, and a deflecting means for the threshed material for directing the same away from said threshing mechanism upward to said separating means and preventing it from commingling with the straw and chaff that are delivered bythe separating means, substantially as set forth.

7. In a threshing-machine, the combination of a threshing mechanism, inner and outer straw and grain separating' devices having a space between the same extending from said threshing mechanism upward, rearward and downward, the inner member of said separating means being rotary, a winnower below said rotary separating member having its chaff-delivery end directed toward said threshing mechanism, and a straw-deliector between said rotary separating member and winnower for directing the straw toward the delivery end of said winnower.

8. In a threshing-machine, the combination of a threshing Inechanism, inner and outer straw and grain separating devices having a space between the same extending away from said threshing' mechanism, the inner member of said separating devices being rotary, a win- IOO IIO

nower adapted to receive the grain and chaff from said separating devices and having its chaff-delivery end directed toward said threshing mechanism, and a comb-like straw-deflector between said rotary separating member and winnower for directing the straw toward the delivery end ofsaid winnower.

9. In a grain threshing and separating machine, the combination of the threshing mechanism, a separator for separating the straw from the grain having a rotating cylindrical drum and straw-retaining devices around the drum with a straw-passage having its inlet turned toward the threshing mechanism and its outlet turned toward points below the threshing mechanism, means Jfor withdrawing the straw from the machine after it escapes from the said separator, having a straw-intake in vertical planes of and beneath said threshing mechanism and its outlet-port at the opposite end of the machine from said threshing mechanism, means below the separator for receiving the grain separately from the straw,

- and means for withdrawing the grain from the machinev after it has been separated, substantially as described.

10. In a threshing and separating mechanism, the combination of the threshing-cylinder, the concave, a rotary separator in rear of and above the threshing-cylinder, straw retaining and guiding devices around the separator arranged to guide the straw as it is thrown from the separator forward to points below the threshing-cylinder, means for guiding the straw laterally or transversely out of the machine from said points below the threshing-cylinder, and means for collecting the grain that drops from the separator, substantially as set forth.

11. In a threshing and separating mechanism, the combination of the threshing-cylinder, the concave, the rotary separator mounted on a horizontal axis, the straw retaining and guiding devices around the separator arranged to form a confined straw-passage extending from a horizontal plane below the horizontal plane of the axis of the separator around its axis to a plane near the vertical plane of the axis of the separator, means for guiding the straw from the cylinder and concave upward toward the receiving end of the said separating-passage, a receptacle for the straw in vertical planes in front of the separator and below the threshing-cylinder, grain-receiving devices supplemental to the straw-receiving devices, means for conducting the straw on transverse lines across and out of the machine and conducting'it to points at the opposite end of the machine from said threshing-cylinder .and means for carrying the grain out from the ing devices, the grain-receiving devices sup.

plemental to the straw-receiving devices, and the fan arranged at the opposite end of said grain-receiving devices from said vstraw-receiving devices and adapted to deliver air-currents across the grain-receiving devices directed toward the straw receiving devices, substantially as set forth.

In testimonywhereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN B. BARTHOLOMEIN.

I/Vitnesses:

J. L. MOKITTRICK, GEORGE GILLETTE. 

